HANGZHOU, China – Auerbach Pollock Friedlander provided theater and AV consulting for the Hangzhou Suntiandy Theater, where Cirque du Soleil opened its production of X: The Land of Fantasy on Aug. 9, 2019. The design firm, with offices in San Francisco, New York and Minneapolis, worked with Hangzhou Xintiandi CAZ, a Chinese city complex operator, on the project.
LD Étienne Boucher’s rig includes Claypaky, Ayrton, Terbly, Chauvet and SGM fixtures, with three grandMA2 consoles for control. The video design by Carlos Navarrete and Fred Caron includes 56 Barco UDX-W32 projectors and a VYV Photon media server and tracking system with 48 tracking cameras and 200 IR emitters.
More details from Auerbach Pollock Friedlander (www.auerbachconsultants.com):
Auerbach Pollock Friedlander provided theatre and audio-video consulting for the Hangzhou Suntiandy Theater which marks the seventh time the firm has collaborated with Cirque du Soleil for a custom, one of a kind venue. The purpose-built theatre, created in collaboration with CUC Architects (the Local Design Institute), has been designed for an immersive experience for 1,420 spectators and blurs the line between performance, spectacle and special effects, quite literally moving the spectators to a different realm.
The audience chamber, the size of a soccer field, encompasses two separate seating wagons, each of which can revolve 360 degrees and traverse 27.5 meters, giving rise to two different experiences in one show package.
To further enhance the possibilities of the story, the upstage great wall itself is segmented into nine individual moveable parts, which shift during the course of the drama. This regal but technologically-advanced environment, envisioned by Cirque du Soleil and designed by Auerbach Pollock Friedlander, enriches the acrobatic stunts and re-defines “going to the theater” for patrons. The show’s press release posted on cirquedusoleil.com describes what the audience can expect from this unusual venue in full detail.
Staging
As the audience watches the stunning digital scenic effects, scenery and show elements deployed on the center stage lifts – which is hidden below the seating wagons – magically arises from the basement on a stage lift measuring 18m x 11m, flanked by two smaller 3.4m x 11m lifts. Once at stage level the 10m turntable, embedded in the large lift, can spin continuously revealing multiple aspects of the scenic elements.
Video
The video projection system allows for complex mapping of virtual scenery and visual effects throughout the stages and auditorium, using 56 high-power laser projectors and a series of special mapping cameras and tracking devices to allow dynamic placement and alignment of the scenic images by the high-tech media server computers.
Sound
The sound system made use of the latest technology with nearly 1,700 loudspeakers used in this production, under digital control that allows voices, music and effects to be discretely mixed to any combination of loudspeakers, from those rigged above, to those built into scenic elements, to individual loudspeakers built into each of the audience seats. The audience is completely enveloped in an unparalleled visual and sonic environment.
Cirque du Soleil X: The Land of Fantasy promises to bring more tourism to Hangzhou which is already a popular destination for visitors due to its proximity to West Lake, A UNESCO World Heritage site.
More Production Details and Stats from Auerbach Pollock Friedlander:
Hangzhou Suntiandy Theater/Cirque du Soleil X: The Land of Fantasy
Auerbach Pollock Friedlander provided theatre and audio-video consulting for the 1,420-seat Hangzhou Suntiandy Theater designed for the production of Cirque du Soleil X: The Land of Fantasy. Design services included programming, planning schematic design and system design services. Auerbach Pollock Friedlander designed the theatre’s moveable audience seating system comprised of two 27 meter x 30 meter seat wagons, each with a 25.4 meter rotating audience seating turntable.
The audience seating area is capable of rotating 360 degrees while traversing up to 27.5 meters. Three central stage lifts create an 11 meter x 18 meter central stage playing area. On the main stage, a 100-meter moving great wall projection surface is automated in nine sections.
Overhead rigging includes two track and trolley systems, scenic flying hoists, and acrobatic flying systems. All of the automated scenic elements are controlled by a sophisticated automation system.
Audio-Video Systems
Auerbach Pollock Friedlander’s audio-video scope included collaborative design on the extensive sound, video and production communication systems for the space in close partnership with Cirque du Soleil’s audio and video designers. The sound system makes use of the latest technology from Meyer Sound, including the CueConsole and advanced D-Mitri processing system that allows music and sound effects to be routed and mixed into any of the many high-end loudspeakers that are placed throughout the auditorium. Each seat has individual left, center and right loudspeakers, each of the two audience seating wagons has its own multi-channel surround loudspeaker system, and Meyer M’elodie and CAL arrays are used to blanket the entire auditorium with sound of the highest caliber. In all, nearly 1,700 loudspeakers are used in this production.
To support the production team, backstage systems ranging from wireless Clear-Com production communications systems, visual cue lights, distributed show relay loudspeakers and performer in-ear monitors have been provided.
A series of 60 video cameras are used, connected to a digital recording system, to allow the production staff to monitor the performers and the systems in real time, with a record of the actions taken in each performance to ensure that all the equipment is working properly and that the safety of the performers is never compromised. The video is distributed to control rooms, backstage areas and other critical control positions.
Video Projection System
The video projection system allows for complex mapping of virtual scenery and visual effects throughout the stages and auditorium, using 56 Barco 30K lumens laser phosphor projectors, many of which are on custom rotating platforms that permit the projectors to be panned for different needs during the performance. The system uses complex tracking cameras and infrared emitter devices to allow images to be mapped onto the moving scenery and performers, and to allow multiple projectors to target the same areas with high precision in order to reduce shadowing. The projectors are fed by a sophisticated VYV media server and controller system that provides a total of 72 outputs to the projectors and related systems.
More Project Info:
Client: Hangzhou Xintiandi Group Co., Ltd.
Auerbach Pollock Friedlander Start Date: 2015
World Premiere: Aug. 9, 2019
Design Team
Theater/AV Consultants: Auerbach Pollock Friedlander
Architect, Structural Engineer, MEP Engineer: China United Engineering Corporation
Acoustics Consultant: Atkins China Limited
Theater Systems Subcontractors
Seating Wagon Manufacturer: Waagner-Biro Stage Systems
Theatrical AV Systems: Shanghai Broad Future Electro Technology Co., Ltd.
Theatrical Projection System: Zhejiang Mingtong Technology Co., Ltd. (ZMT)
Theatrical Rigging, Stage Lift, Automation: Tait Ltd.
Theatrical Lighting Systems: Starlighting, Beijing Xingguang Film & TV Equipment Technologies Co., Ltd., L
Rain Curtain: Westlake Fountain
Cirque du Soleil Creative Team
Executive Producer: Charles Joron
Project Director: Michel Rioux
Director of Creation: Neilson Vignola
Writer and Director: Hugo Bélanger
Composer and Musical Director: Du Wei
Set and Props Designer: Carl Fillion
Video Designers: Carlos Navarrete & Fred Caron
Acrobatic Performance Designer: Jérôme Le Baut
Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Designer: Ewen Seagel
Costume Designer: Marie-Chantal Vaillancourt
Lighting Designer: Étienne Boucher
Magic & illusion Designers: Luc Langevin & Stéphane Bourgoin
Choreographer: Phenix Lin
Sound Designer: Jacques Boucher
Makeup Designer: Karen Yiu
Gear
Performance Rigging & Automation Systems:
Automation System (by Tait)
5 Tait Nomad control consoles
6 Solo handheld controller
23 Motor control cabinets
9 Great Wall moving sections
10 Counterweight Assist Winches
10 Utility winches
20 Acrobatic hoists (typical capacity 250 kg)
2 Custom curved track front-of-house trolley system units with four performer flying winches
1 11x18m stage lift with 100,000 lb capacity (Tait) with integrated 10m turntable
2 11×3.5m perimeter stage lifts with 20,000lb capacity (Tait)
2 27 meter x 30 meter custom seating wagon traverse wagons with 27.5 meter seating turn table.
14Audience Door Interlocks
Lighting
4 ETC full sensor 3 RCP dimmer racks
41 ETC Echo 48 relay panels
11 Lighting control network racks
28 Cisco Catalyst 3850 48-port Ethernet switches
2 Cisco Catalyst 3850 12-port Fiber Ethernet switches
2 MA Network Switches
2 Paradigm architectural processors
84 Ethernet taps
11 4-port ETC-Net3 rack mounted gateways
18 4-port ETC-Net3 4-port portable gateways
5 4-port CC connection panels
115 Dimmed/switched circuit distribution devices
3 Full Grand MA2 lighting consoles
10 MA2 NPU’s
14 Clay Paky K-EYE K10 HRS
9 Clay Paky Scenius Spot
6 Clay Paky Scenius Profile
30 Clay Paky show Batten 100
8 Robe Mega Point
3 Ayrton Wildsun K-25
9 Ayrton Magic Dot Sx
292 Terbly Custon GL6
115 Terbly G21 Hybrid
90 Terbly PT330W
31 Terbly GL2P
12 Terbly T180C
74 Chauvet Color Dash Accent Quad
22 Chauvet Colorado Solo 3
33 Chauvet SixBar 1000 IP
3 SGM P100
Special Effects
11 Antari F-7 haze machines
10 Antari Z-380effects fans
10 Antari DNG-200 low fog machines
14 Antari AF-5 effects fans
3 Antari Z800ll fog machines
2 Water SFX Effect Pump 7.5HP — “Rain Drops” pumps
2 Water SFX Effect Pump 10HP — “Rain Effect” pumps
2 Custom Rain curtains
Sound, Video & Comms – Loudspeakers
Meyer Sound:
24- UPJ-1XP Main Reinforcement Loudspeakers o 35 – UPQ-X Main Reinforcement Loudspeakers o 6 – CAL-32 and 10 – CAL-64 Steerable Arrays
30 HMS-12 surrounds
4 X-800 subwoofers
34 900-LFC subwoofers
6 D&B 4S-SC front fills with 2 — 10D amplifiers
1450 Scosche 3-channel seating loudspeaker units
Audio Processing
Meyer sound D-Mitri Matrix and Processors
DCM-4 matrix
DCP-72 processor
DAI-24, DAO-24, DAIO-816, DDIO-24, DGPIO input/output modules
D-Mitri Wild Tracks playback system
D-Mitri Cue Console faders, transport module and routing equipment
Wireless Microphones & IEMs
Shure UR series wireless microphone transmitters and receivers
Sennheiser SR-300 / EK-300 In-Ear Monitor Transmitters and receivers
Computers & Network
Lenovo, ADK Extreme, Mac Mini Computers
Netgear switches
Crystal Image KVM system
Ableton Live Playback Software
Production Intercom System
Clear-Com Eclipse Matrix System with HMS and HKB main and wall stations
Clear-Com Freespeak II Wireless Intercom System
Production Video System
60 Dahua Ultra Series DH-IPC-HF8242 series cameras
41 Philips 5000 Series Television Displays
AJA Kumo Routers
BlackMagic Multiviewers and Converters
Softel AH-1916 Modulators
Cue Light System
GDS 24 Port Controller, Playback System and Outstations
Show Relay (Program Monitor) & Paging
BSS Audio BLU-100 processing system
Lab.gruppen C 68:4 Power Amplifiers
297 QSC AD-C4T, AD-P4T, AD-S4T Ceiling and Wall-Mounted Loudspeakers
6 JBL Control-28 Series Wall-Mount Loudspeakers
Video Projection
56 Barco UDX-W32 Projectors
VYV Photon Media servers and controllers, 3D Capable, 72 outputs
VYV Tracking System, with 48 Tracking Cameras and 200 IR emitters
Evertz Multiviewers
Lightware 25G Matrix and KVM
Audience Seating
1442 Custom Audience chairs with integrated seatback speakers
This posting was updated May 19, 2020 with corrected information under the “Theater Systems Subcontractors” heading.
PLSN regrets the error.
